


What Friends Are For

by WordGoober



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Gen, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Post Season 2, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-23 22:37:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9684317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordGoober/pseuds/WordGoober
Summary: Keith doesn't react well to discovering Shiro's lion empty. The team helps.





	

Keith could've handled an injury. He could've handled Shiro passed out or in pain or angry, but no Shiro at all? That he can't handle. The lion is empty. Shiro is gone, and suddenly Keith is drowning in some of his worst memories - watching Shiro leave for the Kerberos mission, hearing about the "tragic pilot error" that couldn't be true, finding Shiro again and yet still being plagued with nightmares of losing him that left Keith breathless, the image of Shiro walking away, "Then you've chosen to be alone" echoing after him, and -  
Shit. He can't breathe. Keith was no stranger to panic attacks. He was in fact, better acquainted with them than most, but that doesn't prepare him for this any better. He can feel the telltale pang in his chest, his breaths becoming faster and shorter, his mind spiraling into panic and shitshitshitshitshit he can't let this happen right now! Not in front of his team, not now not now not -  
There are hands on his shoulders, steadying him. He hadn't noticed that he'd fallen to his knees, but here he is, Pidge kneeling across from him; Hunk is asking what's wrong and Pidge is telling him about panic attacks and that Keith will be okay in a bit if they're just patient and try to understand, and Lance is chiming in saying he's had a couple, they aren't fun, what can he do to help, and Keith isn't really processing anything they're saying, he's just trying to breathe breathe breathe breathe but he's still so scared, he's still being sucked into panic and fear and blackness.  
When he comes to, he's leaning against Pidge, who has her arms wrapped around him and is speaking softly about breathing deep and slow. Keith listens, trying to match his breathing to hers, easing back into what it feels like to be okay. He relaxes into the moment, feeling unusually calm. He can see Lance and Hunk hovering a few feet away, both looking concerned and sympathetic. That should bother him. It doesn't. Allura is squeezing Coran's arm like it's the only thing keeping her from scooping up Keith herself, and Coran is glancing between the various paladins with a look that says he would do anything to help.  
Keith isn't bothered by that either.  
Pidge tells him to breathe. He breathes. After a few for minutes of calm and quiet, Keith leans back from Pidge, and the others take this as confirmation that he's ready for them to help.  
Hunk is the first to reach him, softly setting a hand on his shoulder and asking,  
"Is a hug okay? Because I really want to hug you right now."  
Keith nods, his throat too clogged with emotion to form coherent words, and is then scooped into Hunk's comforting arms. Lance flops into the hug with one arm around Hunk and one around Keith, and then Pidge piles on, and then Allura, and then Coran, and Keith knows then that they aren't just trying to comfort him. This messy family hug-pile is for all of them. They are all worried. They are all scared. But they will get through this, as they always do. Together.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
